Tenderness is socially sensitive from beginning to end as it touches on teenage sexuality, prostitution, out-ofwedlock pregnancies, thievery, envy, betrayal, alcoholism, men beating their girlfriends, faking child abuse, torture, killing trusting pets, murdering young women for sexual pleasure, and sex with dead girls. The novel has plenty in it to offend people. Cormier could with some fairness be accused of using teenage sexuality to attract readers; parts of the book seem titillating. The actions and rationalizations of both Lori and Eric Poole travel beyond disturbing into the nightmare realm of the utterly sickening. Looking at this graphic brutality from another perspective shows that Cormier has chosen to discuss important topics in an honest and forthright way. The young adult audience for which it is intended often craves honesty over genteel good taste. Cormier treats the minds and emotions of these readers with great respect, and this...